Helping builders since 1978. Online since 1997.
Helping builders since 1978. Online since 1997.
This plan set shows you how to build glass walled sunrooms with a glass roof, large site-built skylights in a standard roof, and large fixed glass windows anywhere in the house. The plans make use of inexpensive double glazed tempered glass panels (commonly available for sliding glass doors).
A key to this simple glazing system is a special aluminum-coated butyl rubber sealing tape designed for severe waterproofing conditions (sample included with your plans). This tape was developed for sealing modular buildings on the North Slope oil fields of Alaska. It allows you to build large leak-proof skylights and window walls using standard wood working tools. The system is easy to build and is forgiving of errors. It is also less costly than commercial glazing systems. This same system is being used by several west coast sunroom companies to build high-end custom wood sunrooms and greenhouses. You can do the same!
The plans include everything needed to build skylights in an existing roof or install fixed glass windows in an existing wall. The plans include information a builder or owner would need to lay out a sunroom including framing for the glass, installing the glass, foundation details and attachments and insulating and venting the roof. However, such things as attachment to the house, rafter and beam sizes, door and opening window placements will vary and must be determined to meet your specific situation.
A two-story sunroom built using these plans and standard tempered patio door glazing units. The sunroom serves as the main hall and entry and has seven sets of french doors opening onto it. This sunroom and skylight building system has been field tested for 17 years.
